Whip Urges Republicans to Seek Bipartisan Consensus, Rather than Continuing to Push an Ideological Agenda

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD) released the following statement tonight after House Republican leaders pulled their Party’s Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2007 from further Floor consideration and called off votes for Friday:

“The decision by House Republican leaders to pull their Budget Resolution from further Floor consideration this week clearly demonstrates that the party is deeply divided and on the political run. In fact, just this week, former Republican Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who announced that he would resign from Congress this year after being forced to step aside from his leadership position, admitted that, ‘We don’t have an agreed agenda.’

“The fact is, over the last five years, this Republican Congress and Administration have run up dangerous deficits and debt – and this Republican budget actually called for more of the same over the next five years. The Republican Party has pursued the most fiscally irresponsible policies in the history of our country, and I think some of our colleagues on the other side are deeply troubled that they are being asked to vote for a budget that ignores fiscal reality.

“Furthermore, the Republican budget calls for deep cuts in homeland security, education, veterans health care and the environment. And, many Republican moderates in tough races simply are having a difficult time swallowing such draconian cuts.

“When the House convenes again during the last week of April, I hope Republicans will join Democrats in supporting a budget resolution that brings our budget back to balance, that reinstates common-sense pay-as-you-go budget rules, and that meets the needs of the American people. Our Democratic budget alternative does all of these things; the Republican budget simply does not. I hope Republicans see the error of the their ways and seek bipartisan consensus, rather than continuing to push a divisive ideological budget plan.”

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